


Love May It Always Stay True

by ItsMeGetOverIt



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: 'What If...' cannon, Angst, Framework Hydra, FrameworkAU, Love Overcoming, Mind Control, POV Davis, POV Jemma Simmons, POV Leo Fitz, POV Mike Peterson, POV Piper, POV Prince, POV Skye | Daisy Johnson, more to be added - Freeform, still don't really know how to tag, the course of true love never did run smooth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2017-05-28
Packaged: 2018-10-20 10:35:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10660803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsMeGetOverIt/pseuds/ItsMeGetOverIt
Summary: Daisy and Jemma have a plan. A plan to free their people's minds, and how they'll escape the Framework. The only problem is they can't get through step one without problems. And in typical SHIELD fashion when things go wrong, they go horribly wrong. After they enter that lab they both succeed and fail. Fail in the worst possible way.Set after 'What If...' but diverges from there.





	1. my life you can take

**Author's Note:**

> Had this idea take root in my mind not long after I finished watching 'What If...' I started writing, but my mind was giving me fragments in a very non-sequential order. There are stories where that can work. This isn't one of those. I currently have three, maybe four chapters planned. (depending how much I go into during two and three- two is half done!)  
> Please constructive criticism is welcome, just let me know what you think.  
> And... _sorry!_

Leopold Fitz felt like the room was spinning on an axis and he was the only one not moving with it.

Her eyes.

Her voice.

But that was _impossible_.

She was only a figment of his lonely teenage genius imagination. A dream. A fantasy.

Something he'd created in the deep private part of his mind that wasn't connected to the man his father shaped him into. A part of him that wanted to trust people, confide in them; not keep everyone at arms distance. The part of him that _couldn't_ pretend the desire to protect Madame Hydra was born of love. Where he _can't_ pretend he feels comfortable and in control in his life.

She only existed in his mind. And that one week when he lost his mother and she followed him out of his dreams giving him the strength he needed.

Even that was years ago.

How did they know this was the face that had haunted him for years?

Why would an Inhuman who clearly lucked out in taking the form of his boyhood fantasy be willing to _die_ to protect him? After all he's done to all those other Inhumans?

There was something in her words.

Something in what she said that triggered a dream.

A nightmare that had been haunting him.

'…anything to secure a future…'?

No. That wasn't it.

'…live in a world without you in it…'?

Yes!

Why did that make him both elated and heartbroken? Why did he now see her face pale, her hair was different, and a scratch on her cheek? Why did he remember hearing her screaming in pain for what felt like hours?

Looking over to where she was still laying, Leopold noticed the man from the Resistance and Agent May had moved to her side. But it was the sight of the older man, slightly balding head bowed down towards _her_. His blue eyes were locked to the bleeding young woman before him, hands on her bullet wounds futilely trying to stem the bleeding. His clothes were casual but somehow he knew he tended to wear suits more often than not.

Leopold blinked and suddenly it was a different young woman he was holding, anguished eyes taking in both the sight and refusing to accept it. Her brown hair clung to the corner of her mouth where a trail of blood had started falling. Showing how dire the situation truly was.

Then it was gone.

The pool of blood under her body had grown while he was lost in his thoughts. It's like they were sadists, gather around her body. Sitting there just waiting for the next blow. No they weren't. But _she_ was.

Special Advisor to the Director In Science and Technology: S.A.D.I.S.T.

Huh. Where had that thought come from?

"Being the boss can be fun, isn't it?" the older man commented ruefully a half smile on his lips.

Coul-mac? No, that wasn't quite right. Coul-something.

Where were these thoughts coming from?!

May spoke softly with a voice that actually sounded close to tears, "The honour was ours, Jemma."

_Jemma_.

The name was like a bell, a lighthouse and a blaring horn all at once. Like an explosion of thoughts and memories were suddenly _there_. He knew they were there but he still couldn't access them! Like he's opened a file, a buried file, but discover it was encrypted.

He couldn't take his eyes off her. Like if he dared to blink now she'd disappear. From his sight. From the room. From his life.

And that thought terrified him now.

But why?!

Who is she?! Who is Jemma?

_"Jemma Simmons, bio-chemist." "Leo Fitz, engineering."_  
_"Fitzsimmons?" "Fitz-" "Simmons. I'm engineering. She's bio-chem."_  
_"JEMMA ANNE SIMMONS! Is that **liver** next to my lunch?" "Oh, that's right I put the cat liver in the fridge while I was waiting for the results to come through." " **Cat** liver?!? Is this Mrs Norris's **liver**?!"_

_"It's why I fell in love with you. Who you really are that's not programing."_  
_"Come back to me."_  
_"The cosmos doesn't **want** anything."_  
_"It's a funny feeling isn't it? Never wanting to be without someone."_  
_"Maybe there is."_  
_"How can you say that? You're my best friend in the world!"_  
_"Oh please. As if I forced you to follow me anywhere."_  
_"Mum, Dad this is my friend Fitz. Fitz, my parents." "Ah, so you're the young man my daughter won't stop talking about?" "Dad!"_

Brown eyes consumed his vision. Filled his head with conflicting thoughts and memories. Which ones were the truth? Why was he suddenly doubting reality?

She was looking at him again.

"I forgive you. Not that you were to blame to begin with, but you need to hear it." Her lips quivered in what he assumed was meant to be a smile. "I love you Fitz. Always have. Always will. I have loved spending my life with you."

Her voice was softer now. Weaker. There was so much blood. On her top. On the floor. On the man's hands. On Agent Skye's hands. So much blood. And her face was so pale.

The combination filled him with terror that shook him down to his very core. He tried to walk to her side, but his legs threatened to give out under him after the first step.

"There he is," she breathed out. "I love you."

Jemma! No!

Watching her eyes close gave him the strength he'd been missing. Centred him in a way that he hadn't felt in a life-time.

"No," he choked out. "Jemma?"

When her name left his lips it was familiar. Like her name _belonged_ on his lips. The other three parted as he stumbling reached her. His hands shook as he reached out to touch her face.

"Jemma? Jemma! No. Nonononono. Please. No! Jemma! Wake up! Open your eyes! Please." He felt his throat tighten and his voice dropped. Cracked as he felt tears rise in him. "No. I remember. I remember you. I need you. I need you Jemma. _I love you_."

His thumb brushed over her cooling blood stained lips.

No!

When was the last time their lips had met? He couldn't remember! Why couldn't he remember?!

He pushed the hair away from her face. He could still feel her soft, weak breath ghosting over his lips and he leant in close to her.

"Please, come back to me. I remember you. I love you, Jemma."

He kissed her cold lips. Again. And again.

She didn’t respond.

"Jemma?"

He held his breath next to her lips. There was no movement. No breath from her lips.

He looked up at the three watching him. Panic was growing in him. Terror.

"May. Coulson. Daisy. Help. Please. Hel-"

The words died in his mouth at the look on their faces.

Coulson stepped forward again and put a hand comfortingly on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Fitz," he started, voice tight and fragile. "There's nothing to be done. She's…"

"But that's just," he looked between them all imploringly not letting the older man actually say it, " _here_. She's… she's safe in the real world now, right?"

"No," Daisy choked out, tears streaming down her face.

Fitz thinks even if she tried to wipe them away it would be pointless. There were just too many tears. He was surprised he continued to hear what she was saying over the rushing noise in his ears.

"That was the one thing she made clear before we came in. There were no safe guards on our lives the way we accessed the Framework. If we die here…"

She couldn't finish that sentence. She turned away covering her mouth, sobs escaping and stopping her from being able to talk.

Fitz pulled Jemma into his embrace, cradling her face close to his as he took in her pale, lifeless form. A strangled noise escaped his lips. Gently he traced his fingers over her features; memorising them. She was beautiful despite the red drip down from the corner of her mouth.

His Jemma.

And this wasn't even her body.

A sob escaped him as he realised all he was cradling was a computer generated facsimile of her.

He didn't even know where her body really was.

Where his real body was.

Because this wasn't real. None of it. AIDA had captured them, wiped their memories and put them in here. Gently he put Jemma down and stood.

Steeling himself he met Coulson's eye.

"Do you know where Mack and Mace are?" he asked, his voice low but unwavering.

"Yes. We just don't have a way out or a location for where our bodies are being kept in the real world."

"Not yet," Fitz clarified determination settling over him.

They would get out of this false world and he would make AIDA pay. For taking him away from Jemma in the real world. For taking Jemma away from him in this virtual world.

He would make it pay.

*/*\\*

Just when Jemma thought things couldn't possibly get any worse for her inside the Framework _this_ happens.

Of course this would happen.

Of course this would freaking happen!

Maybe her Fitz was right about the cosmos having it out for them. AIDA certainly had it out for her. In both worlds.

They'd finally gotten May on their side; were in contact with Mace; got a location for Mack; and had a plan of attack for how to trace down their real world location and how they would get out of the Framework.

Jemma and Daisy had located Fitz in a Hydra lab without AIDA, or Madame Hydra as she egotistically went by here, present. It was their best shot at getting Jemma some alone time to wake him since AIDA had made her Hydra's most wanted. This was her best shot to get Fitz to remember.

The plan was coming together.

And this was the part where it all fell apart.

Again.

Fitz wasn't alone in the lab.

He had a personal guard accompanying him. Two of them.

What should have been a difficult, but manageable conversation was quickly turned into a stand-off.

Two on three.

The numbers were not in their favour.

But she'd come this far, Jemma wasn't going to let a little thing like numbers or odds stand in her way now. She'd overcome worse for Fitz.

But in true SHIELD fashion their plans couldn't go wrong in just one way.

No.

This went sideways in the worst possible way.

Four more people burst into the room. May and Coulson were a welcome sight. Ward and a Resistance soldier, less so.

"What the hell is going on here?" Fitz asked, his voice low and commanding in a way Jemma had never heard before.

"Revenge for the lives you've taken Doctor," the Resistance man said turning his gun on Fitz. "Your turn to die."

Several things happened at once.

Eight gun shots were heard within the lab.

Five bodies hit the ground.

Four were dead by the time they hit.

One wasn't.

One had taken three wounds that individually were non-fatal, but together meant a slower death.

Those shots had been aimed at Fitz.

But he wasn't hit.

Instead they had all hit Jemma.

At the Resistance soldier's words she had thrown herself in front of Fitz, shielding him. May, Coulson and Daisy had taken out all the others in the room. May; the trigger happy soldier and Ward, Coulson; one of Fitz's guards, and Daisy; the other.

Jemma felt pain explode across her whole body. Torture at the hands of Ward and Hydra had hurt. But this… three bullet wounds close range to the gut was killing her.

She struggled to gasp in her next breath. Breathing wasn't easy. Jemma heard Fitz turn to look at her. Rolling over she looked up into his cold and confused eyes.

"Why would you do that? Why would _you_ protect _me_?"

"Because," Jemma breathily answered, "I never want to experience what it's like to try and live in a world without you in it again. I'd do anything to secure a future for you, Fitz… I need you remember something for me. I would have said yes. Please remember that."

"What?" he asked, his voice remaining cool.

"When you remember who I am, I need you to know that."

"Yes to what?"

"There was a question you wanted to ask, but wasn't 100% sure of my answer. It would have been yes. It _always_ was going to be yes."

Jemma tried to breathe through her pain, but she can't keep the wince and grimace. She turned away from him as she felt somebody approach her and she turned to look back to look at Daisy.

"No. I…" Daisy stumbled over both her words and her feet as she joined Jemma on the ground. "I still need you. Remember this isn't how your story is meant to end. It can't be. It can't. Please."

Jemma reached out for Daisy's hand.

"Maybe this is how it ends. For me." She tried to smile. It may not have reached her eyes, but she tried to smile. "But I need you to look out for him for me. Don't let him shut himself away. Don't let him do what you did."

Jemma didn't need to clarify they all knew who she meant.

"I… I… Please, don't. I can't do this without you. I can't."

"Yes you can. You are stronger than you think you are."

Daisy shook her head. "You're the strongest person I know."

"You only think that because you don't know yourself."

Jemma felt another person kneel beside her. Turning her head she saw Coulson had knelt beside her and began applying pressure to her wound, with May hovering over his shoulder. The pressure hurt like a buggary.

"And you always underestimate your influence," Coulson softly commented.

"You underestimate your own strength. How that inspires the rest of us. All of us," May added.

"You always bring out the best in us. Always," he finished.

Jemma didn’t agree, but she knew from the look in both their eyes that it wasn't worth pressing the point over.

"Oh Daisy," Jemma gasped as a thought hit her. "When you see Mack next, in the real world, if he tries to make any of this Fitz's fault punch him for me. Hard."

Surprise crossed Daisy's face and she let out an unexpected laugh, "What?"

"I… I wrote down a bit of a rant at him over his last comments to Fitz before everything went to hell but didn't get to… And after I told Mack about…" Jemma shook her head. "Just hit him if he makes out that any of this was Fitz's doing."

"I will."

"Promise?"

Daisy nodded hesitantly, "Yeah."

"He says anything," May offers from her other side, " _I'll_ punch him in the face. And that's a promise."

This makes Jemma laugh. She laughs until she coughs. Once she starts Jemma had difficulty stopping. She coughs till she gets a metallic taste in her mouth. She also feels some blood trickling out of her mouth that she doesn't have the strength to wipe away.

Looking up at May and Coulson they both fully realise what this means. There was no last minute miracle here. Coulson let his hands up off her wounds.

"It has been an honour serving with the two of you." She grinned weakly. "And not always being under your command."

She watched Coulson grin down at her, "Being the boss can be fun, isn't it?"

They shared a broken knowing smile.

"The honour was ours, Jemma," May said with pride and in a voice that sounded close to tears.

She felt more of her strength leave her at the look on both her senior agents' faces. She felt it too.

"Daisy, you've been the best sister a woman could ask for. You've made my life so much better. Remember that. Remember this was my choice. Say it."

"This was your choice," Daisy repeated, unenthusiastically.

"Now, once more; with feeling."

Daisy smiled through her tears before saying more firmly, "This was your choice."

Jemma let her eyes drift pass the tear-filled eyes of her friend to meet the blue eyes that hadn't left hers.

"I forgive you. Not that you were to blame to begin with, but you need to hear it." She smiled weakly. "I love you Fitz. Always have. Always will. I have loved spending my life with you."

She watched his eyes soften further than they have since she had enter this crazed world. He took a stumbled step forward, but no more than that one step. It was enough for her though.

"There he is," she breathed out. "I love you."

The darkness at the edge of her vision spread. Her breathing was still laboured. She fell into the black not willingly, but the strength to keep fighting was drained from her like the blood she couldn't stem from the bullet wounds in her gut. Her eyes slid shut as she lost the fight with a power stronger than love and darker than hate.


	2. one day wake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fitz is aware in the program and doesn't like what it's making him become. While with Daisy, they manage to finish the mission that she and Jemma started. But when they all wake from the Framework, the real world is not what they expected, and they had been gone longer than any of them realized...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because this was always what I was thinking with this. And what else do you do when it's the middle of the night and you can't sleep but update a chapter for a story? What? It's not like I'm meant to be a functioning well rested adult in... five hours...  
> Please let me know what you think of this. Do you like my twist? (is it even really a twist?)

Deciding to work together to bring down AIDA and the Framework was easier said than done.

Getting the gang of captured agents to realise and seek removal from the Framework was similarly easier said than done.

Not even starting on creating a backdoor for them to leave by was easy.

Fitz couldn't just start working with Daisy to bring down the Framework. That would have alerted AIDA to his altered state. He had to keep playing his part. Only working on things with Daisy when they could. Which made for very slow work.

He couldn't work directly with her. Fitz had to give his alterations to May who then passed it on to 'Agent Skye' so that Daisy could work on it while updating both Coulson and Mace from the Resistance. While Daisy also had to maintain her Hydra cover and pretend to be mourning the loss of her lover Ward and his shock allegiance to the Resistance.

Then there was convincing Mace to make the liberation of trapped Inhumans a lesser priority. That yes, he should keep fighting the good fight, while Fitz pretended to spin his wheels in search for them. But that Mace should be putting all his computer banks into assisting Daisy and Fitz to create their exit. Not locating and protecting Inhumans. Not finding the death camps, or 'Rehabilitation Facilities', and liberating the potential Inhumans held within.

But Mack… getting Mack to believe he truly belong in a world where he didn't have a daughter was proving impossible. He flat out refused to talk to all of them now. But they couldn't leave Mack behind. They needed him to recognise reality before they could all leave or he could be trapped here forever. He could die here like… It was taking them too long to get through to him. Taking up time they didn't have to spare.

Every day Fitz had to keep being 'the Doctor' for Hydra was draining his spirit. Keep a clam and cool façade while he held meetings about torture; about coercion; about correction camps and facilities; about ways to control the Inhuman plague. But the work… The machines he had to finish building remembering what their purposes were… _That_ was draining his spirit. Jemma described his work as coming from the genius of his mind, and the goodness of his heart. None of what he's created here could match that description. It was all dark. Had his thought with an evil twist.

And he had to keep working on them or face exposure.

Every day that he had to play at being 'Leopold' the lover of Madame Hydra, without her realising he was only playing at it, was killing him a little more. How was he supposed to look at _it_ with love when it was the very reason he would never get to hold Jemma again?

Never get to escape with her to her dream in Perthshire…

Never get to have their perfect wedding…

He never even got to put together his perfect proposal!

The ring he had hidden away while he kept up his internal debate over her answer, was never placed on her finger…

Never get to have the children he had always dream of them having. A mini-him or mini-her that he could love and spoil and be all the things his own father never was to him.

If they didn't get a proper move on with this rescue mission he was afraid he wouldn't recognise himself when he got out.

Fitz was sure it suspected something. He was running out of excuses to avoid spending personal time with _her_. He couldn't claim work and not produce anything to show it. He couldn't claim a lack of muse because then it offered to help inspire him. (Which made him grateful he'd tried that excuse over the phone because he couldn't stop the shudder that went through his body at _that_ suggestion.)

But then Fitz started to notice it seemed distracted lately. A project it didn't want him helping on that he didn't have the time nor energy to try and figure out. He still needed to create their backdoor. And a way to determine their real world location. Well, except for Daisy's location.

He was running out of time!

Then suddenly it all seemed to fall into place.

After weeks and weeks of baby steps and road-blocks it all came together.

Fitz and Daisy finished their backdoor program. Set it to a geo-locked location that could not be quickly or easily erased from the Framework programing.

Mace and Mack got fully on-board with the plan to get out of the Framework.

With everything in place they could abandon all pretence and make a break for their exit. And by some other worldly miracle AIDA was in the middle of a mission too.

On a warm sunny day in autumn, one of the last after a pleasant summer, the five real world agents of SHIELD walked through the doorway of the apartment Fitz was meant to own with Jemma and they all woke.

*/*\\*

When Daisy walked through the archway she wasn't sure what was exactly going to happen. She'd watched first May go through first and disappear from the space in front of them. As the others all slowly stepped through and removed themselves from the Framework she felt a butterfly of nerves spread.

She could hardly believe they had actually succeeded. She had done it. _They_ had done it. She never would have got as far as she did without Jemma. Without her inspiring them to free everyone.

_It was her choice. It was her choice. It was her choice._

Daisy kept repeating it to herself. Just like she'd been doing every other minute of every day since she watched her best friend die.

Maybe one day she would actually believe it.

Maybe.

Daisy woke with a gasp and sat up jerkily. With her first conscious breathe she felt both weak and nauseous. If she had something in her stomach she thinks she would have thrown it up.

"Easy," a voice soothed from beside her. "Take it easy Agent Johnson. You're safe now. You did it. You're out. You're safe."

Once she had taken a few breaths Daisy could see it was Davis that was talking to her. He kept one hand on her back and the other softly gestured to the nearby table where there was a glass of water and a basin.

"Which do you think you will need first? Water, or to throw up?"

A few breaths later Daisy choked out, "Water, please."

He handed her the glass, and she took a small soothing sip. Strength rose within her as she turned to take in her location. She wasn't on the Zephyr anymore. It was a proper medical facility. She could see others standing and talking softly with the other members of her team. Yoyo was with Mack, Piper was next to a very weak May, Prince with Coulson, Crawford with Mace, and she could see Fitz ignoring Joey next to him.

Joey had come back!

Turning her head Daisy took in the empty bed beside her.

That was the last place she'd seen Jemma. Really seen her. On a bed to her right. Together they were going to find their team and save the day.

And here she was. Here they all where and Jemma was nowhere in sight. Not even her body.

Daisy wasn't sure if she was grateful for that or not.

"How long…?"

"It's been nearly ten months since you and Simmons went into the program," Davis answered.

Daisy couldn't stop the flinch that cross her face at the causal mention of her absent friend.

"A lot has changed in that time," a new voice said from the doorway.

"That's an understatement," a second new voice chuckled.

If she had the energy, Daisy thinks her jaw would have hit the floor at the sight of this pair.

"Robbie?" she gasped out. "Vijay Nardeer?"

Robbie started walking towards her, a small smile on his face. "Hey chica."

"Has the Director been informed that they're awake?" Vijay asked remaining where he was.

"She was notified when May woke," Elena said. "I understand she was cutting her meeting with the President short so she could get back here faster."

"Director?" Coulson asked, looking between the active agents confused.

"Of course," Vijay grinned at the older agent. "Do you think SHIELD could just run by itself? The five of you get rescued from that crazed robot and machine man at the bottom of the ocean without someone stepping up?"

"Wait, I'm confused," Mack sluggishly call. "What the hell's happened?"

Elena chuckled. "I don't blame you. We had five months of quiet and confusion, then four-five months of crazy; just crazy."

Daisy saw May squeeze Piper's hand, a question written in her eye that Daisy could read from across the room.

_What started the change?_

"Agent Simmons flat-lining in the Framework got everything moving. After that things got… interesting," Piper offered with a casual shrug.

Daisy felt herself flinch, and saw May, Coulson and Fitz do the same at the mention of Jemma's death.

" _Crazy_ ," Crawford added. "Then interesting."

"Four months ago the new Director stepped up. Managed to say something to appease Congress, get the job done out of the limelight, and told the media to butt the hell out." Vijay had a distant look in his eye, and a smile at the corner of his lip. "It was very entertaining to watch. Made a speech about what it really means to be an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., to be the shield that protects all people. And in this world, this social climate, the people who needed a shield the most were Inhumans. That false vilification of a group of people on this scale based solely on scare tactics has never been seen. That in the modern age, an age of enlightenment and betterment, it should not be tolerated. She would not tolerate it.

"Said that she would always prefer to stick to the spirit of a law than the letter because she has seen all too often how easy it is to corrupt when people are following blindly. And she refused to be either blind or ignorant. It actually inspired a lot of Inhumans who had been hiding in the shadows to step up, join her, and tell _our_ stories. Myself especially, I knew she could be trusted."

"It helped rally support for S.H.I.E.L.D. and raise public opinion like it hasn't seen since Captain Rodgers was un-iced."

"It's been an interesting, but inspiring time," Joey added, trying to draw a smile from Fitz.

"When will we meet this Wonder Woman?" Mace asked.

"Soon," Gabe called wheeling himself into the room.

"Gabe?!" Daisy happily exclaimed.

It felt like one of those moments in a show where everyone from the year's stories needed to make an appearance in the finale. They were all here.

All except Jemma.

"Yo, what are you doing here?" Robbie asked giving his brother a hard look. "You're supposed to be watching…"

"She's fine." Gabe waved off the concern. "I've got the baby monitor with me and will know the second she makes a peep. Madame S.H.I.E.L.D. has nothing to worry about."

A shudder went through all the recent Framework escapees.

"Don't call her that," Elena, Joey, Vijay, Davis and Piper said all at once.

Gabe looked at the group confused

"Why?"

"Creates a mental link between her and the mad robot," Davis explained. "None of us that were there like that comparison."

"Especially her," Piper pressed.

"And wheelchair or no, she would kick your ass," Joey added.

"Man, even the other guy would let her kick your ass, if you keep calling her that," Robbie joked.

"Alright, alright. What about Madame Director? Or Mother S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"Not Madame anything."

"The second one makes it sound like she's Peggy Carter," Prince pointed out.

"Oh and she'd _hate_ that comparison," Crawford smiled, sarcastically.

"Why do you need to emphasise that she's a woman?" Elena asked, crossing her arms. "Her title isn't enough?"

"Not for her. She's more than that," Gabe mused. "She needs a cooler title to match her."

Daisy swung her legs over the edge of her bed. She could see a few of the others were ready to be mobile like her. Coulson and Mack had their IVs out, while Mace was upright he didn't look ready to take his out. May and Fitz were both still lying down. Having her strength returned Daisy removed her IV and changed beds so she sat on the edge of Fitz's instead.

Joey nodded to Daisy and moved to join the others whose patients were up and mobile.

"I'm okay," he breathed softly to her. "I'm just…"

"Not," Daisy finished for him understanding what he was saying.

Fitz was feeling okay physically. He just wasn't emotionally ready to face this real world knowing Jemma wasn't here.

"Yeah." Fitz nodded.

"I'm the same," Daisy admitted taking his hand.

"Oh, I've got it," Gabe exclaimed excitedly. "BAMF Director!"

There were a smattering of laughs at his suggestion.

"BAMF?" Coulson asked, from the edge of May's bed. "That sounds like an onomatopoetic word."

"A what?" Robbie asked, looking confused.

"A word to describe a sound," Crawford explained.

"They use them in comic books," Coulson kept explaining. "You know, Captain America is punching a Hydra soldier and across the panel it says 'ka-pow'. Words like that."

"Right," Robbie agreed still looking a bit confused. "But that's not what BAMF means."

"What is it then?"

Another chuckle went around the room.

Daisy couldn't hear exactly what she said over everyone else, but May muttered something to Coulson about being an old man.

"What, and you know what it means?"

"Yeah," came May's gravelly voice. "It's an acronym. Bad. Ass. Mother. F-"

"Fiona's awake!" Gabe suddenly called, holding up the baby monitor in his hand.

In the blink of Daisy's eye Elena was gone from the room. Vijay took a step more into the hall and was yelling down it.

"You know the rules, not carrying her while using powers unless it's life or death!"

"Yes, yes," came Elena's reply, her voice slowly getting louder, as she returned at an accelerated but normal pace. "And that will only change when mama gives permission otherwise. I know."

Once she was in the doorway with a bundle Daisy noticed that Piper, Davis, Joey and Prince had already left. Vijay looked like he was a security guard, protecting the most precious of cargo. Robbie and Gabe were smiling softly to themselves when they saw Elena in the doorway. Daisy saw a similar smile dancing at the corner of Crawford's face as she hovered over Mace still.

"E-Elena?" Mack asked, his voice telling his confused pain at seeing his girlfriend holding a baby after so recently saying goodbye to his daughter again. "How long were we gone again?"

Elena chuckled softly following his thoughts.

"She is not mine, Turtle Man. Too blanco, si?"

Elena held up a small hand and babbled to the child in English and Spanish.

Daisy couldn't shake the feeling that the baby look familiar. Considering the child was being kept in a SHIELD facility, she realised it was most likely the daughter of an agent. She just couldn't place her finger on it.

"That does raise the question," Mace commented, "whose is she?"

Daisy noticed everyone, except the recently freed agents, cast a look to her and Fitz.

But why?

"Let me introduce Fiona."

Elena met Daisy's eye.

"Skye."

Daisy felt her throat catch as she realised where this was going. Who the baby was.

"Fitzsimmons."

"Wha-?" Fitz asked sitting up and looking at Elena in stunned shock.

"Simmons was pregnant when she entered the Framework. We didn't know till it was too difficult to get her out," Crawford explained. "When she flat-lined it triggered early labour. She was born a couple months prem., but she fought on."

"She's strong like her mum," Elena said coming closer to the bed Daisy and Fitz were on. "And her father."

Fitz's breath was ragged.

"She… she's…"

"She's beautiful," Daisy finished for him, a smile forming on her face despite the way the child blurred before her eyes.

"Would papa like to have a hold?"

"Oh, no. No. I… I couldn't… I shouldn't… I'm-"

"You can. And you should," Mack corrected him.

Daisy could see Fitz's shoulders stayed tense as he kept meeting Mack's eyes.

"Hold your daughter Turbo, while you can," Mack said gruffly before he made his way to the door.

"Mack-"

"Take her Fitz," Elena ordered gently. "Take her, then I can go after him."

Hesitantly and with shaky arms Fitz held them out for the baby. Daisy couldn't stop the smile from covering her face when she looked down at Fiona. A chocked laugh escaped both their mouths. Fitz's turned into a sob halfway out of his mouth, and Daisy's own laugh fell into a sob too.

"Is this real?" Fitz whispered. "It must be a dream. This is… this is too good… She's perfect. So small and… perfect."

"She's got your hair," Daisy couldn't help commenting. "And Jemma's nose."

"Yeah."

As if she knew what she was being spoken about, Fiona's face scrunched and she gave a small tight smile.

"And Jemma's smile," Fitz chocked out. "Our Fiona."

"Where did the name Fiona come from?" Coulson asked.

Daisy looked up and could see a soft expression on both his and May's faces. The three shared a hopeful smile at the expression on Fitz's face. After they lost Jemma, Daisy didn't think she would see that look of love on his face again.

She had been right all those months ago when everything had gone to hell. That wasn't how their story ends. It will still go on. Jemma will go on through Fiona. Through her nose, her smile, and everything else she inherits from Jemma.

"It was her Nana Simmons's name, and my Seanmhair McDougal's name. I… can't believe she chose 'Fiona'."

"What else was I going to call her?"

Daisy whipped her head up from looking at the baby to the doorway so fast she was sure she was going to have whiplash. She felt Fitz tremble next to her as they took in the sight. Daisy wasn't sure who found their voice first but together they choked out one question.

"Jemma?"


	3. to have her please

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just because Daisy and Jemma went into the Framework it doesn't mean the real world just stopped. Suddenly it is up to Davis, Piper, Prince and Elena to keep the girls safe while they work on bringing their team back. After five months of doing that things suddenly change...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't forgotten this story! I just go a bit carried away writing it. (as evident by this chapter length) And every time I went to cut it down I found I couldn't. Then I felt it doubly so once I saw 4x21! I couldn't edit out anything I'd written involving B-team (or Delta Team as I call them in this). I just couldn't. So, we have this monster of a chapter.  
> There is one tiny epilogue to come. I'm hoping to that some time this weekend. But please let me know what you think.

Davis tried to not act like he was bored. Really. But it was just so hard to not let your mind wonder when you are looking over two unconscious bodies. And they hadn't done much of anything in _months_. The book he was reading wasn't holding his attention either.

Sure, they had to keep on the run. Sure, he was a pro now at quick take offs in the Zephyr. Their ragtag had gathering the few living agents safely and brought them on board. Chasing down leads over where the others were being kept or how to track the base location of the Framework was interesting work. Confusing, overwhelming and headache inducing; but interesting. Opening communication channels with people in the government who could be trusted wasn't exactly fun. The key was finding someone in the government who could be trusted.

That was a fun few months. They now had a channel open with General Talbot. Not that he knew their location, but he at least knew there were agents still out there in the name of S.H.I.E.L.D. dealing with their crisis. Kind of. And if they needed support for taking action he could be called.

But this?

This detail was a whole different kind of hard. He understood they still needed to be monitored. Agent Simmons especially. They could escape the Framework at any time. The real world had no way of knowing what was happening inside the program. He wasn't a computer guy. He knew some basics. But he couldn't look at coding and see beyond that.

Putting his book aside he decided to run a diagnosis over their health status. Again. It was something to do at least.

Agent Johnson was doing fine. Her bullet wounds had all healed and there were no abnormalities to be found in her medical scan. At least none that his crash-course had told him to watch out for.

Agents Simmons was similarly doing fine. All her bruising was gone. Her stab wound had healed and left little more than a thin mark on her thigh. And the baby was appearing to do well.

That had been one of the biggest shocks Agent Crawford had lead them to. They'd found the lab assistant keeping low as she'd lucked out and been off base for the day when all hell had broken loose. Within hours of her being on the Zephyr she had found what was making Simmons' readings look off. None of the rest of them had known what that meant. Just that something wasn't quite right, but it wasn't life threatening.

Then she announced that Simmons was pregnant. Over a month along, if Crawford had to guess. It sent most of them into a minor panic. None of them knew what to do with a baby. Could Simmons carry the baby to full term without being consciously aware? Could she give birth while her mind was still connected to the Framework? Did that mean they'd have to forcibly take her out? What the hell would that mean for her when she did come out?

None of them had any bloody answers!

But once again Crawford stepped up. She had a cousin that lived in New York who had a better medical knowledge than she did. And if what her aunt described was anything to go by, weird and unknown was falling right up her alley.

Agent Rodriguez, Agent Prince, and Crawford made their way to New York City to meet with Nurse Temple. Thankfully she was as quick thinking as Crawford made her out to be. Gave them all a crash-course and helped them know what to do to ensure the best result for Simmons and her baby daughter.

Piper questioned how Temple had kept her head around all the information they'd thrown at her. She just gave them all a tight smile and said it wasn't the oddest thing she'd seen or had explained to her since aliens attacked New York. Heck, one had left her jobless, and another in China somehow.

None of them felt like questioning her again.

Davis couldn't stop a smile form crossing his face as his eyes landed on Simmons's growing stomach. Simmons was going to have a little girl. Somehow that seemed perfect to him. A blend of Fitz-Simmons personified. No doubt she would get underestimated, like most people did her parents, but she would show them in whatever she chose to excel at.

He'd always liked both Agent Fitz and Simmons. They never spoke down to him despite their obvious higher intellect, and had an energy about them that he'd always found infectious. That's why he'd volunteer to protection detail whenever he saw their names connected to anything. If that's where they were, that's where he wanted to be.

And this was no different.

Well, it was very different, but not at the same time. Working in S.H.I.E.L.D. was weird like that.

Davis was suddenly brought out of his nostalgia by the alarms of Simmons monitor.

_What the…? He'd **just** check them!_

_She was fine!_

But she was suddenly becoming very not-fine.

The alarm brought most of the others running to the room while Davis had pulled the medical equipment closer to her bed.

"What's going on?" Crawford barked at him.

"Unsure. Simmons' monitor read her as fine just a moment ago, but now she's suddenly flat-lining."

Crawford continued to snap orders at the team around her and everyone reacted as quickly and efficiently as possible. A new monitor was attached to Simmons and after consulting it for just a moment Crawford paled.

"Her avatar has been shot in the program. Her mind thinks she's dying."

"Okay, how do we convince it otherwise?" Piper asked.

"I… I don't think we can."

"What?!" several voice shouted at once, Davis's amongst them.

"I have an idea that should work. I was playing with a simulation on how this could play out, and I think it should work. I hope."

"You _know_ , _think_ , or _hope_?" Rodriguez pressed.

"It had the most promising percentage of success in simulations I ran," Crawford nervously answered.

"What percentage?"

"75%."

"Of success?" Davis asked stunned. "That's not something you gamble a _life_ over. _Two lives_ over."

"It's the best I have!"

"No matter," Rodriguez snapped. "Tell us what to do."

"When all her functions have flat-lined we'll remove her from the Framework then resuscitate her. CPR, defibrillation and a cortical stimulation. Her body only _thinks_ it's dying."

Davis was ready to voice his concern again, but with the high pitched beep that filled the room, he knew they didn't really have any other option.

"What do you need us to do, Crawford?" he asked instead.

"Yoyo, you're on airways give her two breaths with the bag when I tell you; Piper, compressions you should know what to do; I'm going to run the defibrillator and cortical stimulator; Davis get us to the hospital Talbot and Claire organised because the stress won't be good for the baby or her body; Prince keep an eye on Johnson, if something has killed Simmons I can't imagine she's far from danger herself."

With everyone having their jobs the group made quick work doing as told. Davis kept the communication open with the med-bay so he could know what was happening.

By some miracle the 75% came through. Before they had landed again Simmons was breathing of her own violation and her heart was beating strong again. Unfortunately, Crawford was correct about the baby. It was in distress and she was going into very early labour.

Davis just hoped they were in time to save the baby. Because that kind of emotional blow… It killed his aunt, and he did not want to see that happen to Simmons. She'd been through enough already.

By some miracle it went as smoothly as they could have hoped.

The baby was born. Three months premature, but she picked up after some time in intensive care.

Fiona Skye Fitzsimmons.

Her name alone was enough to make him smile.

It was less than a week after she'd woken, given birth and had to sort through her memories of the real world and the Framework, and come to terms with experiencing her own death, that Jemma Simmons was stepping up to lead them. From beside her daughter's humidicrib she was coordinating them. Setting their goals and actually pushing them to achieve them in time frames. Not like they had previously been doing.

The title started as a joke. Calling her the Director.

But then it was kind of real.

Simmons was coordinating everything. Putting the last pieces together for them to have a location for their missing agents. Getting updated on the world happenings in the last five months and how they should act in the greater of humanities best interests. Even re-recruited a couple of agents; a newly updated and healed former-Agent Peterson, the Inhuman Joey Gutierrez, another scientist named Hannigan, and they all unofficially knew who her informants the 'Odd Couple' were.

Then it became real real.

She was called in for meetings with Talbot and was reporting to the President, regularly. After about a month of this, President Ellis wanted to appoint her fully to the role. Davis wasn't there, but Peterson, who had appointed himself her personal body guard, said she actually laughed in his face. She said she was a researcher, not a leader; a scientist, not a politician; she was here to help through this crisis, not a power play to have control in S.H.I.E.L.D.

So in a public address the President named her the intern-Director.

She wasn't happy. Livid would have been a better term, but she was the only one; everyone else felt comforted knowing she held the official title now. Even temporarily.

Davis couldn't stop a smile from crossing his face when he thought of it.

Dr Jemma Simmons, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

There was nothing in this universe, or any other, that would stop them from getting their people back from that virtual prison now. Davis was sure of it.

*/*\\*

Jemma was fuming. That wasn't how the meeting was supposed to go!

President Ellis wasn't supposed to _name her intern-Director of S.H.I.E.L.D._ and then hold a press conference!

Now she had to bloody address Congress, the Senate and the _bloody_ media! She wasn't a spokesperson! She was doing what was needed, that's all! All she wanted was for them to get their people back! She wanted Fitz back! She wanted him to meet their beautiful daughter. For the two of them to be able to bring her home.

Speaking of Fiona she was due back at the hospital. They were talking about taking her out of the humidicrib today. Not for long, but Jemma had been looking forward to this for weeks. The President's announcement meant she had to face the media and Congress and that whole circus.

Damn it, that is exactly why she never wanted this role.

She was happy enough to work in the system, not to be the freaking front of it!

Before she got the chance to vent at either President Ellis or Talbot she was in front of the media. Both of them either side of her, and Mike was hovering not far behind.

She had not mentally prepared for this!

The first man who spoke looked like the kind of man she started talking circles around before she hit puberty. And his tone didn't improve her impression of him, " _Miss_ Simmons, how do you think S.H.I.E.L.D. will handle the growing Inhuman threat under _your_ leadership versus the way the _Inhuman_ Mace did?"

Jemma grit her teeth. Really? That was her first question? Why did she have to waste her time here?

"First of all; it's _Doctor_ Simmons. If you're going to take that tone with me, at least bother to address me correctly. Secondly to call it a 'growing Inhuman threat' is a gross hyperbole. If you continue to word your questions to me with such a negative connation I will simply refuse to answer till you learn respect for your fellow _human beings_."

And the rest of the press conference just went downhill from there. She ended up not answering the man's follow up question, or another woman at all, and instead ended up ranting at them at what it meant to be a real agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. It was a mix of lectures she heard from Coulson, Weaver, Gonzales and one she'd read in Peggy Carter's handwriting as a draft in one of the old SSR files she found. She defended Inhumans and pointed out the media vilification of them was the most non-factually basis propaganda that there has ever been in history. That she would not fall into a cycle of misunderstanding and fear. Wilful ignorance was not a justification. She would never find that acceptable.

Jemma was pretty sure she almost went into a rant on; the American gun laws' the ratio of Inhumans who have sought to harm her rather than help her, and if she applied the flawed media logic to her life she would have more grounds to hate all Americans than any Inhuman. Then she caught herself and was able to refocus. She assured the press she would act in the spirit of what S.H.I.E.L.D. stands for. And if they didn't like it, she told them to get over it. She wasn't here to win a popularity contest. She wasn't here to satisfy _them_. Heck, she didn't _want_ the title, but since she had it she would use it. She was here to do a job, she was going to get it done. She didn't owe them answers when they couldn't manage intelligent questions. She was going to act in the best interest of the inhabitants of Earth; Human and Inhuman alike.

"And I will be happy to receive any Inhumans willing to join us. They are welcome to contact S.H.I.E.L.D. through the standard government means. Now if you will all excuse me, I have somewhere else I need to be."

Just as she was turning to leave the conference a new voice called out.

"What about in person? Can we volunteer in person? Please, let me be the first Inhuman to volunteer for you; Jemma Simmons, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D."

There was a smattering of exclamations of surprise, and cameras started flashing like crazy as the man stepped forward. Jemma gasped as she recognised the man.

"I didn't put the trust I should have in you once and it almost cost me my life. I will not make that mistake again."

Jemma was left shocked at the sight of Vijay Nardeer standing up behind all the press. He started to walk towards her, but Mike stepped in front of her and gestured for him to freeze.

"Identify yourself," Talbot ordered, stepping up beside her.

Jemma cast him a side glance and discovered he was actually slightly in front of her. Protecting her. Not the President 'of the free world' like she expected.

What the hell? Why would he consider her a higher priority?

"Vijay Nardeer."

"Any relation to the Inhuman hating former Senator Nardeer?" Talbot pressed, not moving from his protective place, despite Jemma trying to push him away.

"Yes. Younger brother."

"Vijay, I'm so happy to see you're safe," Jemma called, succeeding in pushing past Talbot, but she didn't get past Mike. "We feared the worst when you disappeared."

"Well, the worst sort of did happen."

Jemma wanted to press him for more information, but at the same time she saw microphones inching closer to his face, she didn't want this to become the media's new play thing.

"Are you serious about coming here to help?" she asked, trying to push Mike's hand down.

"Simmons," Mike tried to warn her, not taking his eyes off Vijay or moving his arm.

"It's okay Mike. I have met him before. I trust that he is not here to harm me."

"I wouldn't hurt her," Vijay promised, meeting Mike's eye. "She offered to save me and I didn't recognise the threat she we warning me of. She was right to warm everyone like Yoda; fear has led to anger, anger to hate, and hate to suffering. I want to help end the suffering." He offered his hand out, "My name Vijay Nardeer, I'm an Inhuman. I'm here to help."

Jemma grinned as she recognised it was the same introduction she had made to him, nearly a year ago. She reached out and shook his hand.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. welcomes your help," she replied more politely than she had spoken to nearly any of the reporters. "I want to hear your story, but this is too public, and I _am_ in a hurry. Walk with me?" Jemma held her arm out indicating the side door she had been headed for.

Vijay nodded and followed Talbot through the door.

Mike spoke very softly from behind Jemma as he was going through the door, "I don't like the showiness of that."

"Normally, neither would I. But I did meet him before, and I do want to hear his story. After that you, Sam, and Elena can run him through the lie detector test. He passes, we'll put him to use, and you can rest easy. He doesn't, we contain him and you can personally check on him whenever you feel uneasy. Deal?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Don't ma'am me, Mike."

"Yes, Director," he said.

Jemma threw a glare at him over her shoulder and saw a grin tugging at his lips.

"Does this mean I can order you to abandon your self-appointed role of my personal guard?" she asked.

"Nope. Especially when you have that gorgeous baby girl needing you away from this madness."

"Then let's get me back to her." Jemma threw him one more grin before she joined Vijay and started quizzing him about his story.

*/*\\*

Piper shared a grin with Davis as she watched the new recruits limp their way away from the training mats.

"Don't you think it's a little cruel to put Nardeer and Gutierrez though two month long training crash course while we just put Peterson to work ages ago?" Davis asked from behind the comm. station he was seated at.

"Not really," Piper responded with a shrug. "I mean, maybe for Joey having to go through it all again 'cause of Nardeer. But Peterson at least has been keeping in shape in the secret facility and it's not like he could forget the protocols with the… you know…"

Piper didn't know the polite way to phrase what she meant and made a vague gesture the side of her face, leg and arm where Peterson had extras.

 _"Cybernetic enhancements?"_ Peterson supplied from over the open line.

"Yeah, those." Piper flushed forgetting their conversation could actually be heard by the Peterson on comms.

_"So what can you guys tell me about this guy Simmons is meeting with? The kid Reyes's brother? Why do I feel like I know that name?"_

"Knight Rider, ring a bell?" Prince smirked walking in and taking the chair opposite Davis.

"Seriously?" Vijay asked surprised from in the doorway. Having followed Prince. " _Knight Rider_?"

" ** _Ghost_** Rider!" Piper corrected. She let her irritation at the guy's mistake shine in her tone. "Of course Knight Rider would sound familiar it was a car on a TV show. Prince, you're an idiot!"

"Whatever, I didn't actually interact with the guy, a _year_ ago! I was kinda put off by the flaming head and eyes that could pierce and judge your soul. Really wasn't encouraging when I found out he was possessed by the devil."

"It's not the devil," Piper corrected again. "The Director said she would begrudgingly accept the classification of possessed by an inter-dimensional entity. There is no 'devil'."

"Simmons isn't religious too, she wouldn't recognise the possibility of it being a 'devil'," Davis pointed out. "It would take more than an act of Thor to make her consider anything non-scientific. And they defeated the alien that inspired the devil in most pagan beliefs two years ago." He shrugged, "Science is her religion."

 _"You can say that again,"_ Peterson agreed.

"Wait, so she's meeting with guy possessed by an inter-dimensional being, and you're waiting in the car out the front?" Vijay asked, taking a seat next to Davis and looking over the screens and things. "Really? Even after the whole closed door Congress meeting… incident?"

 _"Well, I didn't know the he was possessed by an inter-dimensional being, until like a minuet ago,"_ Peterson defended himself, _"but I've got my eye on this. **I'm** not the one who dropped the ball that day in the meeting with Congress. And I still got her out of there."_

"What the hell does that mean?" Vijay snapped defensively.

_"You know what it means. If Elena hadn't been there we would have been facing a very different struggle right now. And she's in there with Simmons now. I've got my eye on both of them. I'm not going to let this go sideways. I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure nothing harms our Director, and I trust Elena to do the same."_

"You doubt my dedication to Jemma?" Vijay jumped to his feet in indignation but without anyone to direct his anger toward.

"To _Jemma_? No. Dedication to S.H.I.E.L.D. and the mission? Yes." Piper clarified, stepping forward for Vijay to direct this discussion to. "Right now that's a fine line, but the last time we let you out there you were spending too much time checking her out and just being in awe of _her_ , and not enough time being aware of the surroundings. That's how the bomb got past you."

"Dude," Joey started, annoyance dripping from his words, "is that why I'm on extra training with him? That's not fair! Just cos he's got a crush on someone already spoken for!"

"What?" Vijay looked between them all confused.

Piper wanted to roll her eyes at the Inhuman's obliviousness.

"You know Simmons has a daughter, correct?"

"Fiona," Vijay said with a nod, a small smile crossing his face.

"Fiona Skye _Fitz_ -Simmons is her official name. _Fitz_ is her father. Simmons is still very much in love with him and is currently ripping the world apart to find him, one problem at a time."

"Surely you can feel that she's building up to something big? Doing favours and calling in people who are unstoppable. She's gearing up for the move to get him back. Has been for the last four months. To get him and the rest of our people."

"I… I thought the father must have died months ago and she was doing this for vengeance and to put his ghost to rest," Vijay said softly.

Piper heard a few of the guys let out chuckles. If things weren't this serious she probably would have joined them. Men could be _so blind_ when they want to be.

_"The meeting's over."_

Mike's voice snapped them all out of their side conversation.

"And…?" Prince prompted.

_"She looks determined. So, I'm guessing she got what she wanted from the deal."_

"When doesn't she?" Davis whispered, exchanging a smirk with Piper who couldn't help her lip from curling this time.

 _"Mike, you still on comms with the team?"_ Simmons voice joined Peterson's.

_"Yes sir. Piper, Davis, Prince, Nardeer and Gutierrez."_

_"Nearly everyone? Okay, I'm betting I don't really want to know. Davis, I need you to bring the other Quinjet here and pick up both Misters Reyes and Elena. She's going to stay here with them. Mike and I will be leaving the base again within an hour of our return. I need everyone to rest up. Project Hubris will be enacted in twelve hours' time."_

A chorus of 'yes sir's echoed back.

"Where are you going to be going?" Vijay asked.

Again Piper wanted to roll her eyes. Maybe he would prove to be more of a hindrance than help, yet.

_"A personal matter I need to know is looked after before I can focus fully on Project Hubris. Prince, make sure Crawford and Hannigan are up to date, and let Ace know he's going on a trip too."_

_"Ace?"_

_"I keep my promises Mike. I'm going to give you the same assurance I'm giving myself. Then maybe we will both be able to focus fully on the mission."_

Piper gave a proper smile as she realised that Simmons was going to leave Fiona with someone not linked to S.H.I.E.L.D. She wondered who, but at the same time it wasn't any of her business either.

*/*\\*

Mike handed his son the diaper bag and grinned at the groan he got in response.

"Hey, you always said you wanted a baby sister."

"That was before I understood all the stuff that comes with being around an actual baby," Ace retorted lifting up the bag to emphasise his point.

Ace may have rolled his eyes as they left the car but he didn't complain any further at being shipped off with Fiona. And Mike had to admit, he didn't think they'd ever packed as comprehensive a bag for when Ace had stayed away for a night when he was a baby.

But Mike suspected Simmons was preparing for the possibility of her being gone for more than just a couple of nights.

That thought alone made his resolve strengthen. He wouldn't let this play out like a tragedy. Fitz and Simmons didn't let his story end with a tragedy at Central Station, and he wouldn't let theirs end like that now.

"Oh, thank you for grabbing that Ace," Simmons beamed at him when they joined her on the building's steps. "Let me take it off you. You already have all your stuff."

"I'm okay, Dr Simmons. You have both Fiona and her overnight bag. I can manage."

Mike felt pride bloom in his chest at his boy's words.

"Please Ace, call me Jemma. Maybe if you use my first name we can get your father to use it too."

"Don't go holding your breath on that Simmons," Mike joked.

The intercom on the building's side finally lit up.

 _"Yeah?"_ a deep voice neither Mike, nor by her expression Simmons recognised answered.

"Oh, I'm sorry I must have recorded the wrong apartment number," Simmons apologised. "I was looking for Claire Temple. Do you happen to know which apartment she is?"

_"This is her apartment. Who is this?"_

"My name is Jemma. I spoke to Claire just this morning about her doing some baby-sitting for me."

There was a bit of noise from the other end. Mike saw Simmons give him a pointed look and he double blinked, activating his back-scanner eye and swept the nearby area, while her free hand reached for her concealed weapon. Things were too close to coming to fruition for either of them to be comfortable by sudden changes.

 _"Jemma, I'm so sorry,"_ Claire's voice was finally heard over the intercom. _"Come on up and I can explain and make introductions. Everything is fine. I promise. Promise! Oh, there's no need for an umbrella on a clear day like today. Damn, I forgot I should've lead with that, shouldn't I? Sorry. Come on up."_

At hearing the safe phrase Mike watched Simmons' shoulders relax, her hand leave her concealed weapon to stroked Fiona's head. The door buzzed and she opened the door ushering Ace in ahead of her while Mike's eye did a final sweep of the people on street level before following them into the building.

Claire Temple was waiting for them outside her door when the lift reached her level.

Claire was saying something to Simmons in apology, but Mike was doing a sweep of the surrounding levels when he found something in Claire's apartment.

"Wait," Mike softly ordered stepping between their group and the apartment. "Who is the guy in there? Why am I getting a funny reading from him? What's wrong with his skin?"

A tall, dark, bald man appeared behind Claire. He had his hands out in a surrender position, but Mike wasn't going to take any chances. He dropped the bags he had and took his proper defensive stance.

"No! He's fine! He's a good guy! He's on our side!" Claire cried defensively. "I promise, he's not here to hurt anyone!"

"I don't take my orders from you," Mike bit out, trying to assess the best way to take the man out so Simmons and the kids could escape.

"But you do from me," Simmons voice loudly and calmly called from behind him. "You said there was something about his skin?" Mike nodded, not taking his eyes off the man. "He's an enhanced. Mike, its okay. You're Luke Cage, aren't you?"

"Yes, ma'am," the man replied. "And you're the new Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. I saw you on the news."

"Please, I'm not here as the Director, and I hate being called ma'am. If you're a friend of Claire's then please call me Jemma. If you don't feel comfortable with that, Simmons is okay too. I read up on you and all you've done. A neighbourhood hero around here."

"You read up on Harlem?" Claire asked, shocked.

Mike didn't see it, but he knew Simmons would have shrugged before she continued. Picking up the change of mood, Mike relaxed his defensive position.

"I like to be prepared. And if I was going to be leaving my daughter in the care of someone else, I was going to thoroughly research both the person and the place she would be staying. I found the link between the two of you hidden between the stories and realised there was a chance he could come while Fiona was in your care. And I got some stories from Crawford too. I know Claire has a couple other friends with… 'gifts' like Mr Cage there has. It was part of the reason I chose to ask you. Although gift is not the right term for his ability, or how he came by this ability. Actually the term that I think best describes-"

"Simmons," Mike cut her off, recognising when she was about to go into one her science rants, and hedging this off before she got really started.

"Right. Sorry. May we come in? Again I'm Jemma, this is Fiona," she said running a hand over her daughter's head. "This is Mike and his son Ace."

"Nice to meet you all," Cage nodded to them.

Claire moved to the side inviting them to move into her apartment.

"So when you say there was a chance he would come while I have Fiona…" Claire prompted.

"Oh, I saw his time was getting reduced for good behaviour, and may have used a, strictly speaking non-legal, hack to reduce that even further," Simmons said with a shrug as she sat on the couch. She fussed a little of getting both herself and Fiona settled. "I just didn't expect him to get to New York so quickly."

Mike saw a bashful expression cross both Claire's and Cage's faces.

"And while I would normally be inclined to give you some privacy at such a reunion, I'm afraid we're now on a timeline that needs to be met."

"Ace," Mike called. "Come help me set up the room you will be staying in."

"Yes dad."

Mike monitored the conversation happening in the other room while he and Ace put together the portable cot for Fiona, and fold out bed for Ace. Simmons was going through the basic key points of what they were going to do and what she wanted from them.

When he and Ace were done, he made sure they made noise to indicate they were returning.

Fiona was in Cage's arms when they returned to the main area, and Simmons gave a grimace-smile to them and gestured for Ace to approach her. He did, squaring his shoulders and taking her expression seriously.

"Now Ace, I've gone over everything with Claire and Luke, but I want to hear you run through what I've told you to do one more time. Worse-case scenario."

"If something happens to Claire and all her friends, I'm to get Fiona and myself to Avengers Towers. There is a panel in the northern side that waving this phone over will expose a pin pad. I type in 616 and get in the lift. If Iron Man doesn't come speak to me, in person or over the computer, within five minutes I'm to call the top name on the emergency list in the phone. And so on down the list. In the event I can't get us to Avengers Tower, I just get us somewhere as secure as I can and start calling down the list."

"Good," Simmons said nodding.

Mike was surprised.

He knew Simmons liked to prepare, but this really seemed excessive. Then again this was her daughter. And his son. He felt resolve sweep through him again. If she was including his son in all her precautions just because she made him a promise, then what would she really let stand in her way? Mike felt both assured and more than a sliver of pride at getting to work this closely with a person as good as Jemma Simmons.

"I felt comforted knowing Fiona was in the care of Claire, but I feel even better knowing she has you here with her. Watching out for her."

Mike watched his son beam at her praise and the gentle touch she placed on his head.

"I won't let you down," Ace promised.

"Impossible. You are your father's son; a hero in the making. And there is no greater praise I could give."

Mike squeezed his son's shoulder while Simmons spoke quietly with Claire and Cage, who managed to get Fiona to doze off.

"If we're not back or you don't hear from in three days, in 72 hours, take Ace and Fiona to Avenger Towers please."

"I'm sure it won't come to that," Claire softly objected.

"72 hours," Cage repeated nodding.

Simmons smiled before she placed a soft kiss to her daughter's forehead. Mike heard her whisper, for Fiona's ears only, "Mummy loves you very much. But I need to go get Daddy. I'm going to bring him home to us. I love you."

In the lift Mike couldn't stop himself from asking, "Who is on that emergency call list?"

Mike watched Simmons smile softly to herself.

"A lot of powerful and trusted people who owe me favours. Avengers, former agents, and just people with significant influence." Simmons quirked an eyebrow at him, "For context, it starts with Tony Stark, and ends with Glen Talbot. And there are a _lot_ of names between them."

Mike couldn't stop himself from grinning back. How the hell could they _not_ succeed with her calling the shots?

*/*\\*

Prince didn't know if he wanted to laugh or cringe at this turn of events. Because he had taken point in training Nardeer, he was teamed with him. And the scientist Hannigan. And Reyes.

He freaking had to keep an eye on _Ghost Rider_. The guy who could put the fear of gods into an atheist!

Why couldn't he have had Davis's team? With Crawford and Gutierrez? And LT Koenig?

 _"Everyone in position?"_ Simmons called.

A quick round of affirmatives was fired back to their Director.

 _"Waiting on your signal Reyes."_ Simmons ordered.

Prince watched Reyes shake out his shoulders and roll his head before he stood. A grin hovered at the corner of his mouth as he gripped the metal chain wrapped around his chest.

"Let's go meet the damned," he muttered as stepped out.

Prince had to fight his jaw from dropping as he watched the kid get hit by three bullets. Before blood could even form on the wounds his head was engulfed in flames and the chain was flying in the air towards the Watchdog who'd fired.

"That's… scientifically impossible!" Hannigan whispered.

"But it's happening," Nardeer whispered back.

The man screamed in fear as the now fiery chain wrapped around him and dragged him away from the group of other Watchdogs. One of the masked men emptied his weapon at Ghost Rider, but it did nothing. As he went to reload Prince took him out with an ICER.

Then, Reyes wasn't the only target they were shooting at. There was a lot of noise and Prince became lost in the combat zone of thought. Advance, protect the scientist, follow the coordinated attack plan, and keeping Nardeer from getting himself into trouble again. And don't let anything stay in your way or keep you down.

Well, one of those things was proving _more_ difficult than the others.

There was a lot of chatter coming across the line with the other teams.

_"Body."_

Prince felt his heart clench at Peterson's words. Their point team had gotten away and inside quick and quiet. But they were too late for someone. Whoever it was, this was going to hit the team hard.

_"LT, I'm so sorry. It's Billy."_

There was an explosion of noise from where he knew the other team was making their decent. LT wasn't taking the news of her brother's death well.

Prince didn't have a chance to think too much on it when he saw the Russian. He quickly switched his ammunition over.

He stepped out. Lined up his shot. And fired off a single round.

It hit. Dead to the chest.

But it didn't stop Ivanov. He looked down at the wound, then met Prince's eye and grinned.

Prince did a double blink, then ducked back behind his cover. The Watchdog standing next to Ivanov wasn't able to hide _his_ shock.

"But… you're not wearing any protective vest!"

"I don't need one. Their bullets do nothing to me."

"That's not a normal bullet," Nardeer taunted as the whirring sound of the Judas bullet began.

Prince couldn't stop a smirk from coming over his face as the whirring reached its peak and there was an explosion right where Ivanov was. Prince stuck his head out and his expression nearly matched the shock on the two Watchdogs' face as he took in the mechanical pieces lying about where their leader had been.

Putting it together quickly he shouted the warning down the line, _"Ivanov has LMDs! I repeat, the Russian is a robot!"_

Even as he was calling it down the line, he could see the mixed look of disgust and anger on the Watchdog gofers' faces. Hannigan managed to knock one of them out with an ICER but the other escaped to the lower level.

Reyes lead them in and Prince can't help but feel a surge of hope and confidence swell in him as he saw the Watchdog soldiers retreating when they saw them coming.

The chatter down the line indicated that all the Watchdogs were on the retreat. Some moving for their escape pods. While others, those still listening to Robo-Russian, remained to defend something. And whatever they were wanting to defend, Prince was willing to bet that's where they needed to get to.

His team met up with Davis' and they quickly burst through the final door to support Piper and the Director.

And they were met with chaos.

Piper had her hands full with the half a dozen soldiers that had stuck by Ivanov. Peterson was trading blows with _four_ copies of the Russian. And Rodriguez was trying to help keep Simmons from being choked out by AIDA. It looked like a difficult job too.

With little more than a glance at each other the remaining S.H.I.E.L.D. fighters joined in the fray. Reyes whipped his chain around to join in Peterson's fight. Gutierrez and Nadeer assisting to defend Simmons. Koenig, Davis, and Prince moving to help Piper. While Hannigan and Crawford tried to make a start on the computer banks that lined one of the walls and where their five trapped comrades were.

As the last Watchdog hit the ground, knocked out with an ICER, the last head of Ivanov joined a pile with the others. Peterson punched a hole in the wall and exposed a head in a jar, surrounded by mechanics. Piper took the shot that burst the jar and left a bullet lodged in the brain without a body.

Prince spun to the last fight and saw a sight that almost made panic explode in his chest.

AIDA had its hands around Simmons' neck and was lifting her from the ground.

"I am not your artificial toy to play with any longer! I am real! I am flesh and blood! When you are gone Fitz will be free to _love_ me and we can rule over all worlds together. The Doctor and Madame Hydra to the public, and Mr and Mrs Fitz in private! All will bow down to me!"

"Over… my… dead… body!" Simmons choked out.

"That's the idea."

Looking back, Prince doesn't know how she managed to do it. But she did.

 _Somehow_ Simmons managed to land a firm enough punch that knocked AIDA back, releasing its grip on her throat. With her feet planted Simmons threw another punch that sent it into the firm grip of Peterson. With one hand on its neck, much like how it had just been holding their Director, Peterson threw AIDA up and across the room.

Into the waiting hands of Reyes. Prince did grin then.

"You want to be human?" he growled. "Welcome to judgement day."

The words had barely left his mouth before his face was engulfed in the Rider's flames. He stared into AIDA's eyes and it started to scream. It screamed until it burst into flames. The Rider threw the smoking corpse onto the pile with the robot heads.

By the time the rest of the team moved to check on their Director she was already moving towards the other scientists.

"And?" she whispered, leaning into Gutierrez who had been the first to reach her side.

"It's exactly as we expected. We should be able to ease them out of the program within a day or two," Crawford beamed. "A week at _most_."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Simmons reached out to stroke the cheek of Fitz.

"You'll be home soon."

The hope and love in her voice was enough to make all of Delta Team share a warm smile. They all knew there was nothing in this universe, or any other, that could stand in the way of Fitz-Simmons getting back to each other.

*/*\\*

This is why Jemma didn't want to keep the top job. There were so many more important things she should be doing right now, than sitting in this room listening to the President and Talbot lump praise on her. Yes, they'd accomplished something no other spy group had in exposing most major financial contributors to the Watchdogs. Yes, they'd publicly exposed most corrupt Senators who had been plying the terrorist group with information. And voluntary Inhuman registration was at an all time high.

She didn't need them to sit here and tell her all this! She knew how to read a report just as well as them. Probably better in most reports with scientific significance too.

"Gentlemen," she interrupted Talbot as he went to rephrase her praise for the third time. "Is there another reason for this meeting beyond needless praise and wasting my time?"

"Public opinion is a tricky thing. Anyone with a career in politics could tell you that. But somehow despite your total disregard for it and any attempt at transparency, the public love you."

Jemma felt dread rise in her as she realised where President Elis was going.

"We would like to discuss with you the possibility of you not resigning from the position of Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. once Mace is fully recovered."

"No," she answered immediately.

"Now look here Simmons-" Talbot tried to begin.

" _No_ ," Jemma repeated. "I don't want this title. I don't want this job! I never did! As soon as Mace is well enough to resume the role, I'm gone! I'm taking my vacation time, my maternity leave time and taking a big step back so I can focus on my daughter and her father's recovery. You won't talk me out of this. That was my condition for taking on this role!"

"But just consider-"

" _No!_ "

There was a knock at the door and Mike stuck his head in.

"Sorry to interrupt," he grinned, no doubt knowing that Jemma was grateful for his timing. "But Agent May is beginning to stir. They expect she will be awake in moments, with the others not far behind."

"That settles that then," Jemma said firmly getting to her feet. "Excuse me gentlemen, I have agents I need to go check on, an office to remove my name from, and a man to propose to."

She didn't wait for the shock at her statement to abate before she walked out the door.

"You really going to propose?" Mike asked, his eyes dancing in humour.

"Well, why shouldn't I?" Jemma laughed as they reached the building's exit.

There were reporters waiting by the door and they jumped to their feet when they saw her exit. One stepped forward and politely asked, "Dr Simmons, is there any chance you would be issuing a statement today?"

Jemma had to bite her cheek to stop from grinning. She had certainly trained them well.

"No statement will be issued today. Not from my area, at least."

They all stepped back and gave her room to pass without any more cheek. One man looked like he went to, but the man and woman next to him prevented him taking more than one step. Seeing such composure she decided to reward them. After all this might be her last forced interaction with them.

"But there will be one in the coming in the days. Stay alert."

This time she did grin as she turned and quickly ducked into the waiting car.

"You know it won't take them long to figure out what that meant," Mike chuckled from the driver's seat.

"I know. But Mike," she said, barely containing her excitement, "within the week I won't be the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.!"

"You are really looking forward to that demotion, aren't you?"

"God yes! Then Fitz, Fiona and I can get away and just be a family. You know neither of our parents have even met her yet? I won't need to constantly check in with you guys, or have a bodyguard… Not that I don't enjoy your company Mike, but I won't mind seeing lot less of you."

"I know what you meant. You are _really_ looking forward to this, aren't you?"

"I really am," Jemma sighed. "Enough of that, tell me how Ace is settling in to his new school. Catching up on the work okay? Making many news friends?"

The time between the President's office and the base slipped away quickly as the two talked and before they knew it they were parting ways in the corridor. Mike to go see Ace, and Jemma to go see Fitz. After quickly checking on Fiona.

Her room was empty, but Jemma didn't panic. She trusted Gabe enough to know he wouldn't have gone far and not without Fiona in either his or some else from the team's arms.

She continued down towards the medical bay. Just as she reached the corridor she saw Mack quickly exiting the room and start walking the opposite direction down the hall. A few steps later Elena was following after him.

Reaching the door she nodded silently to Vijay and leaning against the opposite side of the door frame. She smiled as she looked in and saw Fiona in Fitz's arm. It was the perfect sight for her to come back to.

"She's got your hair," she heard Daisy comment softly from next to Fitz. "And Jemma's nose."

"Yeah."

From across the room Jemma could hear the small grunt from her daughter, and she knew what that meant. She smirked as she pictured Fitz having to change his daughter's dirty nappy for the first time. And he hated bodily fluids!

"And Jemma's smile. Our Fiona," Fitz choked out.

"Where did the name Fiona come from?" Coulson's voice asked.

Feeling a bit guilty she looked over to where she could see him resting against May's bed. They were both awake and she could see they were both smiling softly. Mace was sitting up on his bed too, Crawford still monitoring him. At least they were all safe and awake. They'd manage to save them.

She pretended to ignore the smirking glances Robbie and Gabe were stealing between her and Fitz from the corner.

"It was her Nana Simmons's name, and my Seanmhair McDougal's name. I… can't believe she chose 'Fiona'."

Jemma couldn't keep quiet any longer.

"What else was I going to call her?"

Five heads whipped over to her in the doorway in the blink of an eye. Jemma was mildly concerned some may have whiplash.

"Jemma?" Daisy and Fitz cried together.

Then just as quickly Jemma felt herself getting pulled into the arms of Coulson who had appeared before her. She gave a watery chuckle as she felt Daisy join the hug. She squeezed them both back as the reality of what they've all faced flashed through her mind. It was so good to have them back.

Eventually they let her go, and she could see they had both started crying. Just as they stepped back she saw Mace had moved behind them, dragging his IV line with him, not pausing to even take it out. She smiled and started to talk to the returning Director, before he cut her off by pulling her into his own hug. She gave a small noise of surprise, then inquiry before he whispered an explanation.

"We thought… they said you'd died. They watched you die. And that… that being killed in the Framework meant you were dead here too."

Ah, that explained everyone's reaction.

Wait, why had no one told them that she was alive?

Just as this occurred to her she saw realisation dawn on Crawford's face over Mace's shoulder.

"They really have just woken. We didn't realise they thought you were dead. None of us even found out from you the details of your death there. A-and… looking back on the discussion we never used your actual name in present tense either." The other scientist shrugged apologetically. "Sorry, we didn't think to clarify that."

Jemma smiled and shook her head as she met Fitz's eye and started walking towards his bed where he was still holding Fiona.

"It's okay. It's only thanks to you that I'm even alive for this mistake to happen."

Jemma ran her hand along Fitz's arm where he was holding their daughter, and felt the small tremor that was passing through his body. She met the blue eyes her daughter had inherited and felt her breath catch.

God, how she had missed him. She felt her own eyes fill as quickly as his, and tears escaped down their cheeks. They leaned in and when his lips met hers for the first time since she woke she felt that heady combination of love and lust; hope and home; newness and familiarity; all the things that Fitz meant to her.

Slowly they drew back and she breathed, "I love you."

"And I love you," Fitz whispered back. He opened his mouth to add something but laughed instead.

"What?" she asked.

"I was going to say I love you more than anything in this world or any other, but…" he looked down to Fiona still in his arms, just starting to fidget in discomfort, "I think you have competition for that title now."

Jemma laughed. "I can live with that. As long as she is my only competition."

She leaned into his lips again and they stayed there until their daughter's discomfort became too much.

Leaning back she addressed the Reyes brothers, "Could one of you please duck back to Fiona's room and get her changing things? I'm going to have to give daddy a crash course in nappy changing."

"I'm on it Director BAMF," Gabe joked, heading for the door.

"What?" Jemma asked distractedly as she took Fiona out of Fitz's arms. "You won't be able to call me that for much longer."

"I saw you holding your own in that fight," Robbie softly disagreed. "You will always be bad ass."

Jemma felt a blush climb her neck.

"No, I meant Director. Once Mace is recovered my resignation takes effect. I go back to being Dr Simmons, Agent of SHIELD."

"You sure I can't talk you into staying on?" Mace asked, resuming his spot on his bed.

"If President Ellis and General Talbot couldn't, I don't think there's an argument you could put forward that could convince me otherwise. Besides, I have a different priority now."

Fiona had settled again against her, but she knew this wasn't going to last. It also didn't take Fitz long to stand and rest his hands on her waist. Like he was as scared to let her out of his reach as she was for him.

"I can't think of any argument that could counter that, really," May pipped up. "Can you?"

Jemma beamed as she saw the older agent was sending a silent challenge for Mace to voice a reason for Jemma not to prioritise her daughter.

Mace raised his hands defensively. "Can't blame a man for asking."

Jemma spun her head to look at Fitz, "That reminds me, I need your signature on something before Mace gets cleared."

Fitz didn't answer just raised an eyebrow in silent question.

"Let's just say I want your leave to be approved while I still have the authority to do so."

"What leave is this?"

"Medical leave to overcome this traumatic event. Paternity leave which you are entitled to after being an agent for S.H.I.E.L.D. for over ten years, and the S.H.I.E.L.D. equality act. And a little bit of your vacation time. Unless you don't want to take the time off to join Fiona and me in visiting the UK and meeting her grandparents and bonding time with her…"

Jemma was only teasing. Kind of. He had been in the process of dedicating his life to another woman inside the Framework. But Fitz quickly wrapped his arms around her stomach, holding her against him tight and objecting venomously.

"It wasn't an objection, only a question. I'll sign. I'll sign!"

Jemma gave him a beaming smile and a quick kiss. "Good."

"Hang on," Coulson called from back by May's side. "How long are we talking here? How long are we going to be down a Sci-Tech division, and R&D?"

"You won't be down," Jemma dismissed his concern. "While I've been covering Director duties, Crawford has been doing a more than exceptional job leading the division."

Jemma smirked as she watched the other woman blush at her praise.

"I… I wouldn't say exceptional, _adequate_ maybe… And only for the science side."

"Don't sell yourself short. She found a solution to a problem I had completely given up on, and saved both mine and Fiona's life in the process," Jemma corrected speaking over the other scientist's doubt. "Between her and Hannigan the area will be more than covered," she finished looking back to Mace and Coulson. "I have written a full recommendation for them to be placed as temporary heads of the department. We are not disappearing off the face of the Earth, just taking a step back. We'll be reachable, but not available 24/7."

"Oh I like the sound of that," Fitz sighed nuzzling into her shoulder.


	4. just one day wake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A couple years after all the madness...

Daisy woke with the sun hitting her face. Stretching out she realised she was on a miniature bed. Blinking a few times she quickly took the room in. The room was painted a deep blue and when she turned her head she saw a starry mural. Then everything clicked into place.

Rolling over she found Fiona Fitzsimmons curled up next to her. The little girl's head was buried under the blanket, only a puff of her curly brown hair was visible between her stuffed monkey, her blanket and her pillow.

Slowly she tried to inch away from the sleeping toddler, but then discovered she was being held tightly by the edge of her top. Carefully she pried the small fingers away from her top. Once her top was free she saw Fiona begin to stir and she held her breath. Thankfully she settled back into her sleep.

Putting all May's silent movement training to use she left the bed, and inched to the window and made sure to close the blind so it wouldn't wake Fiona. Once she was successful in that mission Daisy headed downstairs to the kitchen. She would need at least two coffees in her system before the little ball of energy was awake if she hoped to keep up.

Daisy got a small fright when she reached the kitchen to find it already occupied.

"Morning Daisy."

"Shit Jemma! You almost agave me a heart attack!" Daisy took a few long deep breath before she joined her friend in her kitchen. "What time did you two get in? And how the hell are you up and functioning?"

Jemma laughed as she brought Daisy's personal mug closer to the coffee pot and picked up her own mug of tea.

"Late, or early if you want to look at it that way," she answered with a shrug. "I managed to get a few hours of sleep on the flight back, unlike Fitz. And _these ones_ are going to be a morning people," she said rubbing her hand over her growing stomach. "I can just tell. I'll get a nap in later. Probably with Fiona."

Daisy couldn't stop the grin from forming on her face as she took in her best friend with her enlarged stomach potting around the kitchen in the early morning light.

"At least you'll have someone to keep you company in the future at this un-godly hour." Then what she said processed in Daisy's mind. "Wait! _These ones_?! As in _plural_?"

"Fitz and I never seem able to do things in half measures," Jemma commented with an eye roll. "And explains why I'm so huge so quickly."

"Are you vaguely saying without actually saying what I think you're saying?!"

She chose to ignore the eye roll that she got for that comment.

"Yes. It means what you think it does. I'm having twins."

Daisy rushed over and enveloped her in a hug. "Oh that's so exciting!"

"Yeah not looking forward to have three little ones under the age of five in the house," she said, her nerves audible. "How come you were in the bed with Fiona?"

"She had a bad dream and didn't want to sleep alone," Daisy said with a shrug. "I didn't mean to actually sleep there. Was just meant to be till she fell asleep. I think I fell asleep before her in the end."

"Both nights or-"

"Just last night," Daisy quickly assured her, not letting her friend voice that concern for her daughter.

"Your neck won't thank you for that later today."

"Worth it to keep her happy."

Daisy felt a blush creep up her neck at the look Jemma was giving her at her statement.

"So, what do you want for breakfast, pancakes or bacon and eggs?"

"Is that even a question?" The Inhuman looked scandalous as she took a seat at the breakfast nook.

Jemma rolled her eyes. "Of course, what was I thinking?"

*/*\\*

Jemma ducked out from Fitz's arm as she moved silently to the bathroom. The twin were leaning on her bladder. _Again_.

As she was washing her hands, she felt them responding to her movements. Great. They were awake and active. With bleary eyes she looked at the clock softly lighting the bedroom. She had to stifle a groan. She and Fitz had only been in bed for four hours!

Why couldn't they just let her get a full night's sleep?

Between S.H.I.E.L.D. and these twins, Jemma began to think she wouldn't get a night with a solid eight hours sleep for another… oh… _twelve months_ or more!

Sighing in reluctant acceptance of her reality for today, Jemma made her way quietly out of the bedroom, headed for the kitchen. If she had to face this time of morning unwillingly she could at least do it with one her favourite teas. Before she left upstairs she stuck her head in Fiona's room and found the all too familiar sight of her daughter with her aunt wrapped around her.

Jemma bit her bottom lip realising Fiona must have had another bad night. This was going to be the last time both her and Fitz would be leaving her for more than one night at a time, she vowed. While the kettle boiled she packed away the last remanets of Fiona and Daisy's activity the night before with a grin on her face. Sometimes she didn't know who influenced whom with those two.

With her tea brewed, and her kitchen again tidy, Jemma took her mug out into the Scottish country morning. Wrapped in the Fitz tartan, to ward off the spring morning chill, she sat on one of their patio chairs and watched the sun peak over the lush hillside to the east.

If someone had told her four years ago when she watched the sunrise with Fitz out the only east-facing window in the Playground that this would be her life now; she would have thought it sounded like nothing but a dream. And yet… she was awake…

Stretching, Jemma felt a moment of relief as her back eased before she rubbed her free hand soothingly over her stomach. There were a lot of things she needed to get done this morning, but part of her was already looking forward to her afternoon nap with Fiona in her bed. She mumbled words of comfort and a promise of food to her unborn as she made her way back inside.

Just after she closed the back door, Jemma heard movement from Fiona's room. Grinning to herself she got the coffee pot going knowing that was going to be Daisy's first port of call.

It always was.

Jemma's second tea had just finished brewing when the silent morning zombie appeared in the kitchen doorway.

"Morning Daisy," she greeted.

*/*\\*

Fitz woke to the smell of batter on the grill and a cold spot on the bed next to him. Stretching lazily he grinned as he realised Jemma was cooking up pancakes. Could this morning get any better?

The sound of laughter echoed up from their kitchen and he realised Daisy was still here. She didn't have to run off to another mission immediately.

So yes.

The morning did get better. His two best friends were in the kitchen. His daughter was in the room next door. Three of his top four woman were under this roof.

There was noise from the other side of the wall, and he moved to get out of bed to collect Fiona before she got too restless.

"Hey Princess," he called sticking his head in her room. "Have a good sleep?"

"Daddy!" she called both excited and sleepy, holding her arms out to him.

"You have a time with Aunt Daisy?" he asked. She nodded resting her head on his shoulder heavily. "Can you smell what I smell?" he whispers into her ear to try and perk her up as he carried her down stairs.

Her head lifted from his shoulder when they reached the door to the kitchen and she started leaning away from him as she cried, "Mummy!"

Whoa. She almost jumped from his arms to get to Jemma.

Quickly Jemma left the cooking and they silently switched morning duty. Jemma taking Fiona and he took over cooking breakfast.

After he flipped the pancake he reminded over his shoulder, "Don't carry her too long. It's not good for your back."

"I know."

He wasn't facing her, but Fitz could hear the eye roll in her voice. And Daisy's chuckle made him actually look.

Ah. Jemma was resting Fiona on the breakfast nook but still had her arms around her.

"Your dad is such a worrier, isn't he munchkin?" Daisy laughed, moving to bop Fiona's nose before she ruffled his hair in a condescending manor.

Fitz rolled his eyes and nudged her away with his hip causing both Jemma and Fiona to laugh.

He grinned at the woman around him and Fitz decided that everything was perfect. Like a dream. And if this was a dream; he didn't want to wake.

**Author's Note:**

> Title of both story and chapters are from Gaeta's Lament from Battlestar Galaticia. If you don't know it, go and listen to it _now_! An amazing and emotional song. Just listen, I doubt you will be disappointed.
> 
> Alone she sleeps in the shirt of man  
> with my three wishes clutched in her hand.  
> The first that she be spared the pain,  
> that comes from a dark and laughing rain.  
> When she finds **love may it always stay true** ,  
> this I bag for the second wish I made too.  
> But wish no more, **my life you can take** ,  
> to have her please just **one day wake**.  
>  **To have her please** just one day wake.  
>  To have her please **just one day wake.**


End file.
